Improvement in hydraulic propellers for vessels



G. G1 CALDWELL.

HYDRAULI C'PROP ELLERS FOR VESSELS.

No. 177,801. Patented May 23,1876.

INVENTOR N'PETERS. FHOTO-VLITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D C,

UNITED STATES GEORGE G. CALDWELL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF PART PATENT QFFIO'E.

OF HIS RIGHT TO JOHN AHERN, TRUSTEE, AND LAWRENCE I. WARREN,

OF SAME PLAOE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRAULIC PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l77,80l, dated May 23, 1876 application filed March 21,1876.

ments in hydraulic propellers; and it consists in a novel combination of elements, whereby a vessel may be propelled forward or backward, turned around or stopped, without creating a swell, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Thisinvention is to be distinguished from those in which air forced against the water in which the vessel floats is the propelling medium, as in such means there is no reactionary force of the water ejected through the pipes, and it must also be'distinguished from those wherein water. is caused to flow intermittently under pressure through the discharge-pipes, backing against a closed valve) as in my invention the induction and eduction pipes are, during the movement of the vessel in one direction, always open, the abutment against which the streams of Water exert a pressure in producing a forward or backward movement of the vessel being found in the air-vessel of the pump employed in putting the water in motion through the pipes.

A represents a double-action pump. B is the connection leading to the steam-cylinder. G is the inht or suction pipe leading to the pump A from the bottom or side of the vessel. D is a branchinlet-pipe, to enable the water from leakage to be removed by the pump A. The pipes G D are provided with valves E, to enable the water to be admitted through either or neither of them, as may be desired. From the pump A the water is forced through the dischargepipe F, or directly, into the air-chamber G.

From the air-chamber G the water is forced out through the pipes H, which pass out at the stern of the vessel upon the opposite sides of and close to the keelson, and beneath and parallel with the surfaceof the water, and the projecting nozzles h of which are contracted. This construction will cause the water to be discharged against the mass of the water in which the vessel floats with great velocity, so as to produce the greatest effect. The pipes H are provided with valves h near the air-chamber G, to prevent the passage of the water when the vessel is to be stopped or backed, and with valves h near their outer ends, to prevent the entrance of water should it be necessary to repair the machinery. The valves It also enable the motive power to be used for steering the vessel by closing one of said valves and leaving the other open. From the air-chamber G two other pipes, I, lead out through the bow of the vessel upon the opposite sides of and close to the keelson. The pipes I are designed to be used for stopping and backing the vessel, and are provided with contracted nozzles "i, and

with two. sets of valves, 01 and i in the same way and for the same purposes as the pipes H.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent As a propeller for vessels, the combination, with a double-acting force-pump, of the bow and stern Water-discharge pipes I I and H H, having a common inlet or suction pipe, 0, and provided at the points of their connection with the pump with cocks 13 11 and k k substantially as herein described.

GEORGE GILMAN CALDWELL.

Witnesses: v

JEROME HARBAUGH, S B. WARREN. 

